


Heartbeat on a Hard Drive

by doubtfulbones



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Android Keith (Voltron), Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Inspired by Detroit: Become Human, M/M, Mechanic Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-08-09
Packaged: 2019-06-24 09:35:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15627855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doubtfulbones/pseuds/doubtfulbones
Summary: Lance is determined to make a broken android new again, while simultaneously finding out its secrets.[a detroit: become human x voltron crossover fic]





	Heartbeat on a Hard Drive

**Author's Note:**

> **you don't need to have seen/played detroit: become human to watch this, but it may help with context.** i'll add definitions down in the notes if needs be!
> 
>  
> 
> so maybe ive been wanting to do this for a while  
> pls enjoy

Lance found it hard to work alone.

Especially when he was surrounded by hundreds, perhaps  _thousands_ , of discarded, broken androids that all had their own story to tell, each in their own individual, artificial voice.

He had to have his friends around in order to keep himself sane. Sure, it was a lot of fun delving in a robot graveyard and finding working parts that could be used elsewhere, but he usually had to make terrifying decisions that he'd rather not make alone. Not every androids' story was lighthearted and full of delight.

"Don't take it," the android rasped, its voice glitching and playing like a broken record. "I need to see."

Rain lashed down overhead, accompanied by a petrifying cacophony of thunder and flashes of lightning; he swore he could hear the thrum of energy coming from disposed androids, too, but Lance decided not to think too much about it.

"You don't need to see," Matt murmured. "You're already here, what else do you need?"

The android was a new model, only recently discarded, laying atop of a pile in the solid waste landfill. It had one eye, shining bright and blue in the dingy light of the storm, staring at the group of friends who'd only sought out to find a few spare parts for their own entertainment. For Matt, this was easy—androids were just  _machines_ ; machines with no emotions and the inability to sense pain.

His sister, however, viewed it as the complete opposite.

"Matt, leave it be," she argued. "It's clearly fighting for its last out here. It's in worse condition than others, we can find an eye somewhere else."

Along with the rain collecting on the concrete ground in pathetic puddles, Lance stood in Thirium as it bled into the water. He felt the same way, as did his friend Hunk. He enjoyed dabbling in his workshop now and then, secretly fixing androids for those who needed them and giving them upgrades that were potentially illegal. If he didn't get caught doing it, he didn't view it as dangerous.

He was also allowing people to save money instead of succumbing to Cyberlife's ridiculous repair prices.

This android, however, was far beyond repair, and Lance felt guilt sink in his gut.

Androids lived and died in similar ways than humans did. If Cyberlife added biocomponents to simulate _human bodies_ , then why was it such a problem to see androids in the same light as human? Every time Lance witnessed violence towards them in the street, he was always tempted to step in. He would, but the last time he did resulted in a black eye and a trip to the hospital, where a  _human_ was required to treat him.

He looked at the android weakly gripping Matt's arm and chewed on the inside of his cheek. With a small huff, he wiped the wetness from his brow and decided to end the androids' struggle.

"Matt," Lance said, approaching the boy and laying a hand on his shoulder. "Leave it, it's scared."

Matt scoffed. "It can't feel fear, it's programmed to say this, y'know—"

Lance tugged Matt away from the scene, allowing the android to finally fall slack. He listened to its thanks and desperate cries of appreciation, feeling his gut twist some more. That only happened rarely in his workshop. It was like putting an animal down.

He looked back, allowing Hunk and Pidge to follow.

"Thank you," the android said, its voice drowned out by the violent storm. "Thank you, thank you—"

"So where're we gonna find an eye now?" Hunk questioned, shielding his face from the rain with a hand. "Not only that, but every single thing is damaged here. Can't you see the red lights? Lance?"

Lance nodded and yanked the hood of his jacket up over his head. "Yeah, but this is the only place where we're gonna find optical units and have them work at least a little bit. Coran would know, but all he owns is old parts and I don't think they'll be compatible with the weird thing we're trying to make."

"It's not weird!" Hunk protested. "Pidge was wondering if it was possible to make a robot cat and here we are."

"A robot cat with human-looking eyes." Matt smirked. "And you don't think that's terrifying or immoral or illegal at all?"

A thunderclap roared overhead, making the group flinch. Pidge hoisted up her sweater and made a makeshift hood to hold over her head. 

"We don't have to make the robot cat." Pidge sighed. "I just wanted to know how far Lance would go before he said no."

Lance managed a small laugh as he stared at a pile of broken LEDs on the floor. "Hey, I said I'd make it if it was safe and sane. A cat is harmless and I can make it harmless, but Matt does have a point and I don't know why we didn't think of it earlier..."

Matt folded his arms and adjusted the hood of his coat. He looked up towards the granite sky and pouted at the ominous, heavy clouds drifting overhead. They stood in the middle of an android graveyard, with  _who knew_ what else, surrounded by models of different kinds and ages. Lance reached into his pocket and wrapped his fingers around a small vial of Thirium, suddenly feeling a little lost.

They were now here with no reason, other than to find an optical unit and return back. But with no need of such a thing, Lance felt unnerved.

"Hey, c'mon," Lance piped up, lifting his head and pivoting his foot to face the exit. "Let's go."

"But," Hunk frowned. "Lance, what about the rest—"

"I'll come back later, the storm's getting worse anyway."

They began walking back through the landfill, taking care with their footing over deep puddles and broken glass and metal. Lance led the way, gently moving away biocomponents such as limbs and other units to prevent them from being stepped on. He felt some strange connection to the landfill site, like he  _belonged_ there: not because he wanted to be an android, but he'd been around so many in his lifetime, he felt a bond between the ones that were broken and in need of repair.

Almost all of the broken ones in landfill could be fixed, if Lance had the money and time to do it.

"Matt!" Pidge called. "Don't kick the legs around!"

"It's not attached to anything!"

"So? How'd you like it if someone kicked  _your_ leg halfway across a solid waste landfill site?!"

Lance snorted, and felt Hunk walk closer until he came beside him, dragging his feet along the wet concrete. His clothes were sodden, but he'd explored a landfill for androids while doing so, so it didn't  _all_ go to waste.

They walked through man-made pathway to find the entrance again, listening to faint conversation of the androids around them. One of them always said hello, as if on cue, and Lance always made sure to respond, even if the android couldn't hear him. He treated androids and humans as equals, and maybe, he treated androids a little better. The ones back at his workshop had their own special treatment, and Lance wished everyone could at least try and get to know an android before discriminating one.

As they approached the entrance again, empty-handed, Lance's journey was made a little longer when Pidge and her brother stalled, holding the group up.

"Look at it," Pidge gasped. "It's still twitching, poor thing..."

"It's not," Matt replied. "It's probably just shutting down."

Lance looked back with a resigned sigh, but when his curiosity got the better of him, he walked towards the siblings and let himself linger in the rain a little longer upon seeing what they were discussing.

The android in front of them looked brand new, apart from a few scratches and dents within its frame. Its dark hair was tousled, and the white underlay beneath the layer of skin was showing, revealing the damage it had been put through.

"Huh..." Lance cocked a brow and knelt down, examining the android in front of him. An HR400 model, it seemed, made for the Eden Club, the towns' favourite sex club. But upon further inspection, it didn't appear as if it had been treated as such. 

The body was covered in scratches. It was still in one piece, which Lance was impressed with. He was happy to see an android all in one piece, but anger and guilt seared through his chest at the thought of it getting discarded.

"It looks fine," Hunk said behind him. "Where do you think it came from?"

"The model number suggests the Eden Club—"

Matt let out a snort. "It's a sex robot!"

Lance looked back at Matt and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think you'd scratch up an android in the Eden Club?"

"Maybe."

"Besides," Lance continued, slowly opening the android's eyelids and sighing at what he saw. "It's missing an eye, so maybe we do need one after all..."

"I can go get the one we were looking for," Pidge offered. "It's not far, I can run and get it."

Lance shook his head. "None of us go alone here, and like I said, I think Coran has a ton of replacements that we can look through. This one's got really unique eyes... indigo doesn't seem common."

Matt knelt down beside Lance. "Are you seriously considering taking this one in? Lance, it's  _dead."_

Lance bit his lip as his eyes roamed over the androids' stiff frame. His cold hands cupped its cheek and trailed up to card his fingers through its hair.

"Yes."

Matt groaned. "But—"

"Look, it's my workshop," Lance scooped the android up in his arms, wincing at its weight. "I can repair it and it'll have a life again, I can't just let it rot here when I can just run a diagnostics test, get it another optical unit, and send it on its way."

Hunk and Pidge nodded, and the agreement made Lance feel happy. When Matt shrugged, feeling indifferent, it was as if he knew he had no control over the situation, and thus, Lance carried the android back to his workshop.

Lance's workshop was organised, except for his surfaces, which were covered in smears of Thirium and riddled with small, metal parts. However, he was proud of his biocomponent storage and the way he handled his programs to load onto the androids after they were stripped of their processes. Matt and Pidge filtered into the next room, which was a small kitchen and a couple of couches. It used to be a little garage for repairing cars, abandoned for years, and now Lance had it.

He laid the android down on the clean, metal surface, and turned on the light above.

"Let's see," he hummed, picking up a set of magnifying glasses and sliding them onto his nose.

"You always look like a weird steampunk inventor when you put those on," Hunk chuckled. "Your eyes are huge."

Lance laughed at the mental image and continued to work, opening the androids' eyelids again.

"We need an optical unit," Lance called. "Can I get one or are we really strapped for eyes right now?"

"We have a couple," Hunk rifled through the drawer nearest to him. "But you'd have to ask Coran, bug eyes."

Lance groaned. "Pidge? Matt? Is Coran in?"

"Nope!"

"Nah."

With a final huff, Lance braced his hands against the table and shivered at the water rolling down his spine. His body was sodden, and he'd do anything to get a warm shower and something to eat. He was sure the siblings were going to leave soon, and Hunk looked exhausted.

"Are you going to explore the landfill again?" Hunk asked. Lance shook his head.

"Nah," he replied, looking at the android below him. "I'm gonna take this guy home, take another look at him. You can go."

"You sure?" Hunk frowned. Lance gave him a sure nod. "Alright, see ya, buddy."

Once he knew everyone had left, Lance looked at the android once more, picked it up, and carried it to his car, knowing his apartment probably needed company anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> biocomponents: much like artificial organs that can regulate the heartbeat or temperature, for example  
> thirium (or Thirium 310/"blue blood"): circulates energy and electrical information through the android body and biocomponents
> 
> got any headcanons or smut/fluff/angst ideas? hit me with 'em <3


End file.
